Forever Darkness
by EarthFae
Summary: Dark King!Mushrambo/Yakumo AU- After being underground with her father for the last five years, while they human race was being massacred, Yakumo knows her time is running up. But when she comes face to face with the dreaded Dark King, she expects to die, or does a worse fate await her. *WARNING* Implications of dub-con- No longer a oneshot
1. Chapter 1

"The human race has fallen." Her father told her, as they hide in his laboratory underneath the bowels of, what was once called, the capital of the world.

Now it was but a wasteland. Whenever they sneaked out, under the cover of darkness the smell of oil, rottening flesh, and fums would always greet them. Yakumo hadn't seen the sun for months, and she didn't want too. Seeing the earth in light would have just made the reality of the state, or lack of it, of humanity more apparent.

Everyday, she would wake up with hopes this would be a nightmare, and the sun would greet her, along with the sounds of traffic outside the window, and the smell of her mother burning breakfast. But it was never the case. She awoke everyday (Or night, you really couldn't tell underground) to see total blackness, to hear the sounds of rats crawling through the pipes, and the constant sound of water dripping.

"I have lost contact with the hold out cell in Vancouver-" Her father continued, '-that was the last outside contact we had." Yakumo didn't feel sadness at this, oddly enough, or maybe not odd at all. She hadn't seen another human, but her father, in over five years...since King Franken's invasion of East Coast of the United States and Canada. It seemed that other people had become as distant of a memory as the sun had "Five years ago we had exactly 758 contacts...but now only us remain." At this a coldness came over Yakumo, as she looked over at her father in the dim lighting.

"Does that mean...we are the last." At this her father gives a pause.

"I doubt that, Yakumo. We are likely among the last, but I doubt we are the only ones. There are probably some holdouts that were too scared to make contact, and some without technology at all...probably hidden in isolated parts of the human world." Yakumo knew that her father is lying. But she wants to believe it. The 758 holdouts were among the most advanced protective shields of humanity. Enterrans were advancing everywhere, and carving out new villages and cities for themselves in the wake of their former masters' demise. Any holdouts that were primitive, for lack of a better word, would have been sniffed out and hunted years ago.

Tears begin to well up in her eyes. All alone...while people were so far away from her...the idea of being the last in a world surrounded by enemies. She whipped her tears before her father could see and excused herself for the night, saying she was tired.

It was not a lie.

Yakumo is tired. She is very tired. Tired of living like an outlaw in her own land, tired of hiding, tired of being scared, and tired of the darkness...and the almost eternal quiet of the underground lab.

She soon regrets that.

The alarms blare loud, and for the first time in five years she sees bright colors.

But it is a color she never wants to see.

Red.

An Enterran has broken in. This was it. She hears the sound of her father running after her.

"Yakumo!" He cries, before she can turn. She feels her father grave her wrist. She turns to see the most frightened expression she has seen on him (or anyone) in five years. A gun is in his free hand.

"Run." He says, desperately. Yakumo heart lurches, as she realizes this will be the last time she will ever see her father. If the Enterrans invading them were strong enough to get through her father's defenses then there is no way a simple handgun would do it.

He was buying her time.

"Daddy, I lo-" Before she can get her last declaration of love out, a blast shakes the building, almost knocking her over.

"Yakumo, Go, now!" Her father runs off in the direction of the sounds. Yakumo can't even steal a glance at him, before he turns a corner. She knows what she has to do now, she runs. She has to make it, make it to Hakubo, and go inside the energy pod...it would keep her safe...that had been her father's words...and plan.

The plan if they were invaded...to go inside the pod and sleep...until the war was over then somehow find a way to restore of the human race.

It was all up to her.

In the distance she hears a gunshot...but none following it. Her father...but she couldn't stop, not now. Not with Hakubo in such close range. It was the sheer adrenaline in her blood now that kept the thoughts of despair away now. Thoughts that would stop her.

Thoughts that would really lead to the end of the human race.

Finally, she reaches the doors on Hakubo's lair, the sliding doors open at recognizing her DNA, and she stumbles in, catching her breath, as the doors shut and lock behind her.

There between the flashes of red, and darkness surrounding Hakubo. Unawakened now, but one day that would change.

There is no time for thoughts like that. She runs over, and braces herself for going into the pod when the lab door explodes.

The shock knocks her off her feet, her face hitting Hakubo's soft inner foam. The lights change. They are bright, lighting up the room. Her father could never afford the power to light up on a single space for long. She can count on both hands the times he had lite up at least one room in these last five years.

She blinks, as her eyes try to adjust to the incoming light that she is far from use too.

But she doesn't have time to adjust. She hears heavy footsteps behind her. Yakumo gasps, as she forces herself with her elbows into a standing position. Her heart feels like it is about to come out of her chest. That would likely to be a godsend compared to how the creature behind her is going to end her.

Speaking of that, the creature's footstep's stop. Yakumo feels a bead of sweat run down her forehead. A part of her doesn't want to look, just feel whatever attack this Enterran has, and let her be done with.

But there is no other movement. She holds her breath and slowly turns.

There she sees the Dark King standing in the light, blade drawn, with a smile that could cower the bravest men.

She has not seen an image of him in years, but she has never forgotten him. Never. She remembers being there at time square when the footage of the Samurai Enteran standing on top of the Effie Tower emerged, and that face. The beautiful, terrifying face, twisted into his battle cry and with one blast of his powers destroyed over half of Paris. She barely managed to locate her father after the panic ensured.

But she never forgot him, especially not that look when he first let the world know of his power. He is wearing it now. It is a smirk of confidence.

Both Enterran and human don't move, as though under a spell. Finally, with one step forward, Mushrambo draws his sword. On instinct, Yakumo gives a small shriek, and tries to move back. But Hakubo is to her back, so she can no longer move backwards. She can only lean her back over the foam inner padding of the machine.

This only makes the demon smirk more. He aims at the tip of his blade at her throat. Her entire body stiffens, as the tip of the blade, ever so slowly, comes to her throat. Mushrambo is clearly enjoying the terror that must be in her eyes. The terror he has seen countless times in humans before.

Yakumo finally feels the blade tip at her throat, just _barely _avoiding going deep enough to draw pierce her skin and draw blood.

By all rights she should look away in terror, but she doesn't. She just freezes, staring into the dark eyes of her soon to be murderer.

Then against all reasons a peace settlers among the terror she feels. She waits for him to make another move, but he doesn't. The blade makes no move to finally pierce her throat, and end her life.

There is silence, but she breaks it.

"I know you are going to kill me, so do it!" She raises her voice in challenge, "I have lost everything from my home, the sun, and-" Her voice breaks at the next part. "-I know you took my father from me. I have nothing left to live for." Finally, tears start to, ever so slowly, stream out of her blue eyes.

She feels the blade gives the slightest push against her throat, and she closes her eyes on pure instinct. This is it, her mind thinks.

But then the blade tip withdraws again, and she can no longer feel it, just a small trickle of blood from where it briefly pierced her skin. Yakumo slowly opens her eyes again. The blade is now several inches away from her throat.

Was this demon getting a sadistic pleasure out of holding her life in his hands, and toying with it? Probably, it wouldn't come as a surprise since he had killed so many before.

"You are the last." Mushrambo, finally speaks. Yakumo blinks, now a sense of absolute despair that has been growing in her for he last five years comes to full bloom in her heart, and the thorns mercilessly stab every inch of heart.

"No..." She whispers, uselessly. It is a denial. She knows it. The demon knows it.

"Yes." He says, "You and your father were the last. Now that your father is gone...that makes you the last and mine." She sees the sadistic smirk on features she would have called beautiful if she didn't know him.

Yakumo looks down for a moment, as the revelation washes over her. But it is not that shocking...somewhere in her heart she had known that she and her father were the last. But now with her father is gone...she is all that is left. Over ten thousand years of history and progress, and there is nothing now to show for it, but her.

The last human raises her head again, with a fresh wave of tears.

"Before you kill me, tell me one thing. Was it worth it?" Her tone is not demanding, or accusing as one would expect in such circumstances. It is just a simple question. "Was so much death and destruction worth satisfying your hate and vengeance against the human race? Was it worth it for you to have so much blood on your hands."

The demon pauses, his expression faltering to an impersonal mask. For the briefest of moments Yakumo wonders if she has somehow reached the soul of this creature that wasn't worthy of being called Enterran, or human, just a monster.

Her foolish hopes are dashed again, when not only does that cruel smirk return, but even stronger.

"You ask me if it was worth it, human?" His voice is so full of confidence at his violence that it makes Yakumo feel even more disgusted at him, "It was." He continues, "To see your people, in all their arrogance and pride, being wiped off the earth. To hear the screams as they died in pools of a mix of their own blood and their children's blood. To see the creations your race took so much pride in being tore down."

"Why yes, human, it was worth it. Ever last drop." He says it with such sadistic glee for even a demon that Yakumo has to take pause. She looks down.

"Monster..." She says. She hears a rustle of movement, but doesn't look up, until she feels fingers cup her chin and force her to look up. She knows she is not hiding the fear in her features as her face is just inches away from the dark king's.

"If you think I am a monster, you should look at your own race first, and judge who the real monster is. The ones with the greatest crimes against the human race isn't me, or the other Enterrans, but humans themselves." Yakumo is about to question this, but she feels him press a finger on her lips, causing her to shiver, as an order to let him continue.

Yakumo obeyed.

"Surely, you have read human history back when you were in school? Well, it only gave the half truth for the most part, but human history is too barbaric, and bloody to leave such things out completely. I can see it in your eyes. You know what exactly I am taking about. Every evil that can be thought of, and some dare not think, has been done by humans to other humans. And often been glorified by your kind" He then gave a maniacal laugh that makes Yakumo lose her composer again, and let fear visibly take over her features. He doesn't miss then and grins all the further.

She fails his finger trail across her lips, only increasing her terror further. This visibly pleases him. His eyes then darken.

"In a way, I can _almost _thank your kind for not being near as cruel to Enterrans, as you have each other. But not quite. You still treated Enterrans like slaves, using us for your dirty work, butchering our bodies in experiments. In your arrogance you never saw that the race you kept making stronger would one day overcome you, and pay you all back for your abuses." He gives another laugh, which makes Yakumo try to look away, but he roughly turns her head back, forcing again her to look at him.

"I cleansed the earth, no Enterra, of your race. Now my race can live in dignity now that their masters are nothing, but shadows of the past."

At this Yakumo finally is somehow able to regain hold of herself. Her eyes are now red from the tears, but she isn't going to cry anymore.

"I see...then it is time for me to take my place among the rest of my kind." But then her gaze softens. "Mushrambo." She addresses him by his name for the first time, "I pray that one day you will find peace. Real peace, not the kind you seek in bloodshed. Since you know so much of human history you should know that bloodshed has never brought peace the human race. But maybe...once I am gone, you and the rest of the Enterrans can find a way...a way of living in peace that humans never could."

Yakumo begins to cry again, but now she is smiling.

Now it is Mushrambo's turn to look startled, but it is only a monumentally phase. He then laughs.

"I must admit...it is fitting that you are the last human because you are unlike any human I have ever meet. Most die, either cursing my name, or begging. But you want for me and my race to be happy. That is almost inhuman."

"But not enough to spare me." The last human quickly adds. "I can't say I'm ready to die...but I will accept it." She inwardly braces herself for the sharp feel of a blade tearing through her flesh. Again, she closes her eyes on instinct.

But her eyes fly wide open when she feels lips pressing against her's. She opens her eyes and sees the demon is kissing her. Terror and confusion mix within her as she tries to struggle and lean away from him for the first time.

However, his grip is too powerful. She looks up at him, the shock evident on her face.

"Why...?" is the only word she manages to get out. Mushrambo then drops his blade, it sound rings out in the now dead silence of the lab. He takes his now free hand and runs it through the brown strands of her hair. His grip on her as lesson, but now Yakumo is more terrified to move than when he had his blade at her throat.

"Why?" He repeats her question to her, "Don't make a mistake, human, and I think I planned on this. I came into this laboratory with the full intent of killing you." He trails his hand down her neck, and she moves away on instinct, but his grip is so powerful that there is little way she can. "But there is no logical reason to kill you. There is not a male human alive, so you have no hope of ever starting up the human race again."

"But that is still not the reason you aren't killing me. You have too much passion in ridding the world of the human race too be stopped by that mere fact."

The demon grins.

"Astute as well." He gives a nod, "No, that is not why I am not killing you." He suddenly graves her shoulders, but not hard enough to cause her pain.

"If I killed a human like you...one who would die with such dignity-" He begins pressing her downward onto Hakubo's foam bedding, Yakumo is confused; not sure what his actions mean. "-it would be too much of a credit for the human race to go out like that." He shakes his head.

"No, I come up with a much better idea on how to deal with the last human."

Yakumo still has no idea what he is talking about.

Then he presses his knee between his legs, and she understands completely. Her stomach fills with lead. She is about to beg, but a surprisingly soft kiss stops her. She looks up in absolute terror as the demon, known as Mushrambo, gives a sadistic grin.

"A much more satisfying end to the human race."

**If you read this story, please review. I don't want to be an author who begs for reviews, but I really want to know if the Shinzo fandom is dead, or not. Favs, and follows don't tell me anything.**

**Note: If you found Yakumo a bit OOC from the show that was done on purpose. In the show she had the mind of a seven (at beast) year old girl, and here she matured naturally because she didn't age in the pod.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks Carly for Beating!**

Yakumo wonders if he was really asleep. It wouldn't surprise her if he wasn't. Because he seems to sense everything that makes her afraid, or on edge. He is truly a sadist where humans are concerned.

Even to the last one.

The one he shares his bed with.

Of course, it is a different type of sadism altogether. Sex is a powerful thing. Used to bring people to the heights of pleasure down to the worst of traumas. Yakumo can't explain what it is like, sleeping with him. On the surface he seems almost as though he is a considerate lover. He kisses, caresses, and holds her. He is never rough enough to cause her pain.

Even during that night in her father's lab.

The thought of her father begins to make tears prickle in her eyes. That is where the torture is: not in physical pain, but the inward torment that she is being pleasured by a creature that had the blood of her people on his hands. Including her own father.

The last human stares out the window, until the sky becomes a light purple, as her thoughts torment her. The sunrise was something she had dreamed of seeing for the last five years. The darkness had become almost a prison to her. But now she feels as though she was a fool for thinking that way.

She now realizes the darkness shielded her from the real darkness that existed in the world of the light. The darkness that is resting beside her right now.

Carefully, she gets up off the bed. All too aware of her nudity, she carefully makes her way to her wardrobe, as silent as she can. She knows it is foolish because he is likely awake, or wouldn't care about getting up this early.

A king must rise early for his duties after all. He wouldn't want to miss a moment of the world trembling before him.

Quietly, she opens her wardrobe to reveal a well-worn gray dress and soot-stained, formerly white, aprons. Carefully she changes into her scullery maid uniform, and secures the apron tie around her waist. Then she places the maid cap on, and ties it.

The uniform is devoid of any sexuality, not that Yakumo is complaining. But she does note it is not what one would expect for one who is technically a concubine to wear. It was already gray, but was furthered darkened by the soot, such stains never able to come out. Its length is right above her ankles, the sleeves are to her wrists, and the collar is just below her neck. The only thing that gives the thing any sort of shape is the apron.

Definitely not what one would expect of a concubine.

But no one would also expect a concubine of also serving as a scullery maid during the day. Fastening her shoes, her look is finally complete.

It is just in time for the sun is rising. Yakumo eyes on instinct squint. Being underground for five years in almost total darkness has nearly ruined her eyes for pure sunlight. In a way it is poetic irony. She can't take the sun like she used to, and she can't take the world as it is now.

But she doesn't have time for philosophical thoughts. Quiet as she can, she exits the king's bedroom to head down to the underground cellars to get to her work. She wonders if she'll ever get used to the Enterran guards' side glances at her as she passes through. Such dark looks from men with weapons.

All for the crime of being human.

She comforts herself with the fact they can't hurt her without Mushrambo's permission. Not until the Enterran King decides he is bored with his human pet will they lay their blades on her.

Yakumo doesn't know if she should dread it, or look forward to the release from this life.

She takes glances at the clocks on the way down. Just fifteen more minutes until the head of the maid staff decides she will be late. She hurries down the darkening staircase. Her eyes are now starting to hurt less with the lack of sunlight.

Finally, her descent is complete as she spots Mistress Heng, the head of the maids. Yakumo's stomach twists on instinct, as she knows what to expect from the lithe catlike Enterran. She comes up to her, and already the human can see the ever familiar look of disgust in the feline's eyes. Heng's DNA is taken from the Siamese cat, and Yakumo remembers the Disney movie, and now realizes how appropriate it was to label the species as the villains.

Heng looks on her with clear distaste as her tail twitches from where it sticks out behind her maid uniform. She looks at Yakumo as though she is the most disgusting thing that ever existed on the planet.

And she is right in a way. As the last human most of the world now sees her in that light.

"You are almost late, again," the Enterran spits at her.

Yakumo's blue eyes glance at the clock. She is five minutes early, and she knows that a good majority of the maids won't be here until half past six. But it doesn't matter. She knows that Heng will use this excuse for the same punishment she gives her every day.

"Since you were almost tardy, I have to give you the same punishment, _again!_" she hisses as though she is displeased, but Yakumo can see the clear joy in her elongated pupils. "You are not going to have breakfast until the rest of the staff is finished eating." With this she turns away with a flick of her tail.

"When will you _ever _learn? I guess it is only what I can expect out of your _kind. _Now get to work!" She begins to give her a list of chores that Yakumo knows it will take to nightfall to complete. The only reason Heng doesn't give her chores to last through the night is knowing it would displease the master, who expects her in his room doing her true duty.

Yakumo mentally memorizes the ridiculously long list of chores and gets to work right away. She knows it will be a long time before she gets to eat. The maids have taken full advantage of their boss' hate towards the human and will often lounge in the breakfast room gossiping and laughing, long after they have finished their meals. Usually she won't get to eat until sometime after ten. After that Heng will tell her since she ate so close to lunch she can't be hungry, so she also denies her lunch.

It won't be until late in the evening until Yakumo gets her second and last meal of the day. She knows that Heng would deny her even the second meal in a heartbeat if she wasn't worried about sending her to Mushrambo's bed hungry and weak. In the little over two months she's been here Yakumo has never had more than two meals a day.

In a way, living underground for the last five years with insecurity has made her used to going without rations. But with the sheer amount of physical labor she does the lack of regular food is taking a toll on her body. She knows she has lost weight. Mushrambo hasn't commented on it. At least not yet. She wonders if he'll say something once she gets to a state when he no longer finds her physically appealing, or just finally dispose of her, permanently.

Yakumo soon becomes too lost in her work of washing the stone floors of the kitchen with a brush and soapy water bucket to bother herself with such thoughts. The human doesn't notice the approach of the Enterran until she is right beside her. Yakumo braces herself for she knows something bad is about to happen. With not a moment's hesitation the Enterran snatches the back of her hair, and before Yakumo can even cry out, her head is dunked into the bucket of soapy water.

She struggles and flails as she is losing breath and the soap burns her eyes and throat. But her human strength is no match for even the weakest Enterran.

Finally, the attacker releases her hair as Yakumo is still flailing, and in her panic she falls over, taking the bucket with her. The water swooshes out, soaking her dress. She lays there, wet, cold, eyes bloodshot, and coughing.

"Stupid whore," her Enteran attacker mummers. "Always making a mess." She gives a scathing laugh as she walks away, leaving the human still gasping for air. Once Yakumo gets control back over her body she forces herself up.

This was far from the first attack she has suffered. And it won't be the last, not even today. Such cruelty has become a daily part of her life. Even then it is hard for her to get used to such hate directed towards her.

But she can't complain, or report that. Yakumo learned that on the first day, the hard way. Instead she goes to refill her bucket, and takes a moment to try to rinse the soap out of her eyes in a water basin. She quickly gets back to work.

Hours pass, and there is thankfully not another incident as the other maids get too busy to waste time bullying her. Finally, Yakumo's hunger becomes painful, and she can no longer stand, finishing up her chore. She looks up at the clock, and finds out it is twenty minutes past ten. She prays the last of the maids have left the mess hall so she can eat.

Quietly, she goes up the hallways to the mess hall, and tries to listen in. She knows very well that her presence would just make the Enterrans stay in there longer.

"You should have seen it, Xue!" comes a freshly familiar voice. Her recent attacker. "She just flailed like a fish, and laid there in the water." Laughter rings throughout the air. "And to think humans use to believe themselves so high and mighty and above us."

"Yeah, now we see what pathetic things they are, or were, now that she is in the lowest position here," adds a new voice.

"It is good that we remind her of her place. We don't want the human to think she is better than us since she is the master's whore." A snort comes.

"I can't wait until the king finally gets tired of her!" says the original attacker. "Just seeing her, among us, makes me sick."

"I don't understand why he hasn't gotten rid of her already! She is so plain! Even by human standards. He could easily have the most beautiful woman in the world!"

"I think calling her plain is too high of a compliment to her." All the female Enterrans share a final scathing laugh until Yakumo hears chairs move. The human quickly ducks behind a corner.

"We have had enough fun, back to work." She hears their footsteps leave the mess hall, and she doesn't dare move from her hiding place until she hears them no more. The human quietly makes her way to the door of the mess hall, and peeks in. Much to her eternal relief she sees no one there. She quickly goes in. The gruel is now cold, not that it tastes much better when it is warm. It is horrible tasting, but Yakumo has long since learned that flavor doesn't count much when you are hungry.

She sits down with the gruel and begins to eat, as quickly as she can before someone notices her and comes up with something she has to "urgently" do, then makes her leave her unfinished plate and keep busy enough until lunch began so she couldn't eat.

Try as she might she can't get the words the Enterrans said out of her mind. It hurts, to say the least. But it is something she has had to deal with daily for the last two months. She should have grown a thicker skin by now.

Many would say she had from looking at the outside. She would have cried if such words were spoken on her first day as a scullery maid, but now she doesn't. But it is not that she has grown a thicker skin. Yakumo is as tender and sensitive as she has always been. The words and cruelty are as sharp as daggers as they ever were to her heart.

It is just she has learned to suppress her inward emotions or the Enterrans will make it worse for her if they know how badly it affects her.

Much worse.

Yakumo quickly finishes her meal and goes back to work. While she is scrubbing a large pot she senses a presence over her. With great dread she looks up to see Mistress Heng, and her normal hateful look toward the human is replaced by a look of pure glee. Yakumo inwardly gulps, and tries her best to hide the fear that is building like lead in her stomach.

Had Heng found another excuse to punish her?

"You have been summoned to the king's throne room."

At this Yakumo's blue eyes widen and she can feel the blood drain away from her face. The lead that was building up in her stomach is now making her want to vomit.

She hasn't been to Mushrambo's throne room since she was first brought here by him. Since then she has only seen him in his bedroom. If he wanted her in his throne room it could mean only one thing.

He was finally going to put her out of her misery.

The sight of the human's face losing its mask to give way to pure terror fills the Enterran with pure joy. Clearly assuming the same thing the human is.

"Now," she says in the kindest tone of voice Yakumo has ever heard since knowing her, "clean your hands and face. You don't want to go in front of the king looking _entirely_ like a drowned rat." She giggles at her own joke and insult. Heng turns away, still giggling.

Yakumo is frozen for several seconds until she is finally able to make herself stand on her shaking feet.

Without any thought she walks toward a basin and begins to scrub her face and hands clean with shaking fingers. She sees in the cracked mirror how white she has become.

Why is she so afraid? Wasn't she thinking earlier that it might be a blessing to die instead of the miserable life she was now living? There is nothing good about her current life, and there is no hope of it getting any better.

So why is she so afraid to lose her life?

Her only guess is that it is natural for anyone to face losing their life, even a horrible one. She emerges from the darkness of the lower chambers of the palace into the light of the main halls.

It seems once again the theme of darkness housing her from reality rings true. The light she is now seeing only serves to illuminate the way to her death. She stands as strong as she can manage. She thinks back to that night in the lab, where Mushrambo decided to spare her. At least back then—surely having a human in his bed would have grown boring by now.

She sees herself in a passing mirror and knows the Enterran maids are right. She is no beauty, not even by human standards. She is average looking. The thought doesn't make her upset. It is the simple truth.

But surely her plainness would make Mushrambo become bored with her that much more quickly. These thoughts, along with her death, follow her into the throne room.

She comes from the side hallway, not directly in Mushrambo's line of sight. It is likely a subconscious measure she had taken to make sure she is savoring her last bit of life. The throne room is in the style that was suited to a Japanese Shogun, even though they were on mainland China. Mushrambo controlled Asia (and was head over the rest of the generals), and Japan would have likely been where his castle stood, if not for the fact Japan had not fared well with global warming. Something else for Mushrambo to blame humans for.

When she enters the throne room she sees someone is before the Dark King. Immediately, Yakumo ducks behind an ornate pillar, in a rather pathetic bid to buy herself more time. Carefully peeking around from behind the pillar she sees the Dark King's guest.

It is perhaps the most beautiful woman she has ever seen, human or Enterran. Her blonde hair cascades down her head, her face is so pale and perfect that it looks as if it was carved out of marble. Her wings only add to the angelic look.

This must be the woman that Mushrambo is replacing her with. No man could resist a woman such as this.

"Tell me, General Rusephine, did you really think you could hide something like that from me?" comes the king's voice in the most furious tone she has ever heard from him. It makes her both shudder and confused. So Mushrambo isn't planning on taking this woman? Rusephine?

The Bird General! She remembers the radio call from the holdout cell in San Francisco (before it was discovered) giving them a list of the Enterran Generals and the lands they now ruled. If she remembered correctly, Rusephine was made General over the Middle East.

But what had she done to displease the Dark General so much? Yakumo listens in closer.

"I wasn't intending to hide anything from you, my king. I wanted the victory over King Nipper and Mechano City to be a surprise to offer you and the rest of us," comes her smooth reply to the furious king's anger. Yakumo is fairly impressed that she can remain calm in the face of Mushrambo's anger, something everyone from human to Enterran feared.

"Well, it was a long-waiting surprise considering I know you conquered Mechano City ten months ago, and only now tell me that I bring it up."

Now she sees Rusephine lose her composure as her mouth drops in shock. And if it were possible for her to be even paler she would have been a ghost.

"But-but—" She can't get the words out.

"How did I know? Is that what you are asking, Bird Queen?" Mushrambo's voice now has a rather mocking tone to it. Clearly enjoying the discomfort he was causing in his treacherous general. "You should know I have eyes and ears on _all _of you at all times. Never think any of you can hide something from me."

"My king—" comes Rusephine's frightened voice.

But Mushrambo doesn't give her a chance to make excuses before continuing. "Save your tongue. I knew what you were planning. You were planning to use the technology of the robots to advance your own civilization while leaving the rest of us in the ruins of our former slave masters. Probably planning to take over the rest of us once you _thought _you had an edge over me."

Rusephine begins to desperately shake her head. "No, my king, I was planning on sharing it with you! Just the two of us!" she confesses. "I just wanted to show you that I was worthy."

Mushrambo is silent a moment after the confession. Yakumo wonders if her words have somehow touched him. Perhaps an appeal to power would affect the one who had rightly earned the title of the Dark King.

She takes a further risk, and peeks her head further out from behind the pillar to get a look at Mushrambo's expression. He is actually smiling, and she sees Rusephine visually relax.

It only lasts an instant.

The Dark King smirks and raises his hands and lets out a powerful blast which knocks the Bird Queen through the air and onto the hard pavement, which breaks upon her impact with the ground.

Yakumo can't stand it any longer. Not caring about Mushrambo, she runs forward to the fallen general. She looks down to see her covered in blood and groaning in pain.

"Are you okay?" Yakumo asks. It is a foolish question to ask. She is obviously not, but it is what humans just say to people in pain. She takes a partly clean rag from her apron pocket, and presses it against a heavily bleeding open wound, trying to stop the blood as it soaks through the cloth onto her hands.

The female general groans in pain again and opens her eyes. She looks at Yakumo for a brief second, and then her eyes narrow.

"Human!" she cries out. Before Yakumo can give any reaction, Rusephine knocks her back with a thrust of her power.

Rusephine looks up at Mushrambo, her eyes now full of fury. She points to Yakumo with a shaking hand.

"That is her! That is the human you picked over me! This ugly, filthy, and raggedly dressed human!"

Yakumo manages to sit up, her body still rocking with pain after the female general's blast. She hears the footsteps and looks up to see Mushrambo approaching. His face is neutral as he walks between the human and the Enterran. He casts a glance at both of them before turning to Yakumo, and holds out a hand.

The human stares at it for a moment until she realizes that he is offering to help her up. With the slightest of hesitations she takes it, and is pulled up into Mushrambo's arms, with his hand on her back.

She is now looking at an even more furious Rusephine. With her bloodied, bruised, and angry face she is no longer the beauty that Yakumo first saw only moments ago.

"There is nothing more ugly than a woman who uses her outward beauty to cover up the ugliness inside her," Mushrambo states, but then smirks. "Though right now the outside is matching your inside."

The female general raises her hand to her face in a self-conscious gesture. The Dark King then removes his hand from Yakumo's back and steps forward, unsheathing his sword. The human's heart stops, and judging by the look on the female Enterran's face, so does hers.

"And there is nothing I hate more than a traitor. The only punishment worthy of it...is death." Mushrambo begins his slow walk toward the now pleading and soon to be former general.

Before Yakumo can even think she leaps forward and grabs the Dark King's sword hand.

"No, wait!" she cries, "I beg you. Please stop! Don't kill her." The shock of her voice is enough to make Rusephine stop pleading and pause Mushrambo, who now turns toward her.

"And why should I do that?" His voice, surprisingly, doesn't carry any anger at a mere human questioning his actions. It is neutral, with perhaps a touch of curiosity.

Yakumo thinks for a moment. "Because I want Enterrans to find a better way than humans! What you are doing is exactly what a human general would do! Remember that night in the lab where I prayed for your people to find a way of peace that humans couldn't? This is the time to try it! Please spare her life, my king."

The silence that followed Yakumo's request could have made even the air pause for reflection.

Mushrambo stares at Yakumo for a few more seconds before turning back to Rusephine, and walks forward with his sword still drawn. The human covers her face in anticipation of hearing the female Enterran's dying screams.

But instead Mushrambo speaks.

"I have actually found a better punishment for treachery, Rusephine. I am going to let you live. But I am going to make sure the generals, and the rest of the world, know that you only live because of the pleas of an ugly, filthy, and raggedly clothed human."

Rusephine seemed to relax.

"However, I still must make an example of you." He raiss his blade, and before Yakumo can even say anything, General Rusephine cries out in pain.

The Dark King has severed the wings of the Bird Queen. Rusephine is now on the ground, wailing in pain, trashing about. It is too much for Yakumo. She looks away, as Mushrambo has a screaming Rusephine taken out and brought to the medical area.

The human's stomach twists. She has never seen this much violence with her own eyes, never. She has seen and heard about Enterran atrocities through media. She has dealt with bullying, but seeing actual violence with her own eyes…she feels lightheaded.

Mushrambo doesn't even turn to her as he wipes the blood off his sword. But he orders her.

"Go to my bedroom, bathe, change, and rest."

Yakumo doesn't say a word as she goes to obey orders.

-

The next day she comes down to the cellars, slightly early as usual. But she knows it doesn't matter to Heng. The feline Enterran looks at her with her usual disgust.

"Almost tardy, as usual." She shakes her head. "You are not going to eat until the rest of the maids are done, _again_. Why can't humans ever learn?" Heng is about to give Yakumo her usual long list of chores, but is interrupted.

"A maid going without a proper meal to start the day? That won't do at all!" comes a British accent from behind.

Yakumo turns to see the fattest person she has ever seen, Enterran or human. He is a yellow feline Enterran in a pink sailor suit and blue ascot.

"But she is human!" Heng cries, and inwardly, Yakumo sighs, knowing that this Enterran will now turn against her like the rest of them.

"Why does that matter? Humans still need to eat."

Yakumo's eyes are as wide as saucers as she stares at the feline. An Enterran didn't...care...that she was human? Her mouth drops open. Heng's expression must mirror hers as she goes before the other feline.

"Surely, you can't mean that, Kutal! She is a human...you can't not side with a fellow feline against...a human of all things!"

While all Enterrans would side against a human any day, it was obvious that many preferred their own kind of Enterran whether it was bird, reptile, insect, or feline. It reminded Yakumo of school, where humans of the same race often ate at the same table. Being half-Asian and half-white often left her feeling somewhat confused on which side she should sit with.

"It is not siding against you, Ms. Heng. It is just humans have to eat too," Kutal replies to the still stunned Siamese-like Enterran.

"The other maids won't like sitting with a human," she tells him, making another excuse.

"Then she will just have to eat with me in the kitchen." Before Heng or Yakumo can react, the large Enterran takes her hand and starts to lead her away. Yakumo is too stunned to speak, as is Heng too apparently since she says nothing while the other feline leads the human away.

But Kutal isn't too stunned to talk, not at all.

"I am the new chef here," he explains, "I have made quite a name for myself in the culinary world, if I do say so myself." He goes on about his accomplishments, and travels around the world. Yakumo is still too stunned from the shock of an Enterran being this friendly. She hadn't seen any kindness from an Enterran ever. In fact, she hasn't seen any kindness since Mushrambo brought her here.

Finally, the rambling feline leads her into the kitchen. The width of the door is almost too small for him to squeeze through, but he somehow manages.

The human is greeted by the smell of delicious food which reawakens her hunger. Even back when she was living with her father, underground, getting a warm and delicious meal was a rare treat, usually reserved for special occasions.

Yakumo is still numb when Kutal urges her to sit down at the small table, even going so far as to pull out the chair for her! She listens as he goes on about the ingredients and spices that he has made the soup with, which only furthers the human's hunger. If this is a trick it would be the cruelest yet. To get her hopes up so high for kindness, only to have it destroyed.

Then a bowl of steaming vegetables and meat is set in front of her. The human's mouth begins to water.

"Bon appetit!" he announces with pride.

But a thought now comes to Yakumo. What if it is poison? And this is all an act to get her to eat this and kill her?

The chef notices her silence and asks, "What is wrong, my dear? Does the meal not appeal to you?"

The human looks up and finally says it. "I have never met an Enterran who was remotely kind to a human, but...you are...I don't understand."

Kutal smiles a little. "Let's just say I've had a bit of a different experience with humans than most of my kind."

Something in his tone tells Yakumo that he won't reveal it to her now. But perhaps...one day.

"Well go ahead, dear! Try it!" he encourages.

Yakumo looks down at the soup, and picks up a spoon. If it is poison she decides it doesn't matter. It would be good to die with just the thought of kindness.

Even if it was just a temporally illusion.

Without another thought she dips her spoon into the soup and takes a slurp. She lets the flavor settle on her tongue before swallowing.

"Well tell me, girl, how is it?"

The human looks up at the Enterran with the first true smile she has had in months, maybe years.

"It is delicious. You are a talented chef."

This seems to light up the feline's face. "How wonderful! By the way, dear, what is your name?"

"My name is Yakumo, and thank you for the soup."

"It is my pleasure, Yakumo."


	3. Chapter 3

For the first time since her father's death and Mushrambo had brought her here, Yakumo has something to look forward too. Something to make her happy. It comes in the form of a big yellow cat.

After her nights with Mushrambo, she begins her mornings heading down to the kitchen first to be greeted by the strange (in a good way) Enterran. A warm smell greets her along with Kutal beginning to wish her a good day. He never asks her if she slept well or had a good night. He knows what her real duty in the castle is, and Yakumo hopes it is because he is too much of a gentlemen to bring it up.

He sits her down by pulling a chair out as he fixes a hot breakfast for the both of them. He will go on to tell stories about how he discovered the recipes and ingredients. While Yakumo suspects that most of them are exaggerations she has come to rather enjoy herself despite that. Hearing about far off places, great deeds against impossible odds, and fantastical adventures takes her mind off her life for just a few minutes.

These few minutes are a precious time of the day for her as she eats and listens. But as the humans before her said, all good things must come to an end. Eventually, she finishes her meal, thanks Kutal, and starts to go off. Whenever she does so, she swears she can read an almost apologetic expression in his face.

She leaves the warmth of the kitchen and goes into the coldness of the cellar. She doesn't know if the change is real or in her head. Almost a week passes and the same routine repeats itself. She comes to Kutal for breakfast, then back to face the cruelty and the other maids and endless attempts at bullying, then she goes to lunch, and the same thing repeats itself until dinner.

But today, something different was going to happen. As Yakumo was carrying a bucket of soapy water and a mop around a corner, she was suddenly seized and felt a furry hand over her mouth. Her automatic screams were muffled, not that it would have really made much of a difference. She was dragged off to a dark corner and bashed against the wall. Her vision blurred for a moment as her assailant's hands released her mouth.

When her vision balances she sees three beast type Enterran maids. _Just be quiet and let them do what they want_, she repeats inwardly to herself. _Fighting is just going to make it worse if you let them know how much it hurts you._ But her words echo hollow in her.

This feels different.

The looks on their faces aren't the cruel, twisted signs of amusement that her perpetrators usually wore as they did their horrible deeds against her. There is no amusement.

All she sees in the Enterrans' gazes are pure hate.

In one swift motion, a cheetah-like Enterran grabs her throat and starts to crush her windpipe.

"You...you disgusting creature." With each word the Beast Enterran rams Yakumo's head back into the wall. On instinct the human girl tries to pry the hand of the beast off her, but it is a useless endeavor with her mere human strength. Tears begin to prick in her eyes.

"We are all so sick of seeing you here! Do you know what your kind did to us? The experiments, murders, torture, slave labor, and even rapes!" The others shout in agreement as they let all their grievances out against the human race onto the remaining one. She hears the clattering of metal, and her eyes turn to see a long sword held by a Tiger Enterran with a murderous gleam in her eyes. Finally, the Cheetah Beast releases her, and she nearly collapses, but is grabbed by her hair into a standing position before she can hit the stone floor.

"The master hasn't killed you yet and it has been months! We made bets on it, but you lasted longer than any one of us would have ever believed," the tiger-like one holding the sword speaks.

"That gave us the idea that perhaps the master is waiting for us to do the job. Maybe he is just testing to see how we long we can tolerate being around a disgusting human," the final one, a black panther type, adds.

"Even if he doesn't want us to kill you, we highly doubt that the punishment will be harsh."

"And even if it is," came the Tiger Enterran, brandishing her sword to Yakumo's throat, "it will be more than worth it to finally rid Enterra of your kind."

"Now, human, do you have anything to say before Chiefra does the honor of ending your life?" She licks her feline lips in excitement at the bloodshed that was about to occur.

"All I have to say is a prayer," Yakumo, the final human, says softly. "That my death, my blood, will be enough to satisfy the blood lust of all Enterrans and that once that craving is satisfied you will never feel the need to hurt anyone else, and live in harmony. That is all I have to say."

Her soft words have the opposite effect on the Feline Enterrans around her as rage twists their faces into pure ugliness. Yakumo once again feels the Cheetah Enterran at her throat, but this time the claws are unleashed, piercing her flesh, and she feels her fresh, warm blood dribble down her neck.

"You fucking bitch! You dare call upon the human God to hope we have peace? You self-righteous bitch." The claws dig deeper into Yakumo's throat. "Chiefra, do it now!" she orders, and the Tiger is about to carry out the order that will make the human race finally extinct when a flash of yellow appears before her, knocking the claws off her throat, and the sword away from her. Yakumo presses her hand to her bloody throat and looks toward her savior.

"Kutal!" she cries, as the Lion Enterran wrestles with the three other felines, the sword still in one's hand.

"Run, Yakumo!" he orders her, as Chiefra swipes her sword down Kutal's shirt.

Yakumo watches in horror as she sees blood spill from his belly. He stumbles in pain for a second, but then goes right back to fighting.

"I said, run, Yakumo! Go get a guard!" he screams in between breaths.

Yakumo doesn't need to be told a third time. Still clutching her pierced and bleeding throat, she rushes towards the stairs. Running up them, Yakumo prays that she won't pass out from blood loss. Her vision begins to blur. Finally, she sees light up ahead.

Once she enters the light, a guard spots her, staring at her bleeding throat. The human's vision is beginning to swirl, more and more. She can barely make anything out anymore. Her legs aren't holding up, and she begins to slide down.

"There has been a fight...down in the cellars. Kutal is hurt! Help him." With that she closes her eyes, and the last thing she can remember is the feeling of her body collapsing on the floor.

-

Her eyes slowly open. She is greeted by pure light, causing her to squint and blink a few more times as shapes and colors begin to form in her vision. The first thing she sees is Kutal, smiling down at her.

"Oh, you are awake. I am so glad, Yakumo."

The human turns her head, feels the bandages around her throat, and a numbing sensation, like she has been put on pain killers. She looks around, noting the great tenderness in her neck. She sees IVs and other connections in her body.

She's in the medical bay, she realizes.

Yakumo looks up with her blue eyes toward her savior. Kutal's torso is covered with bandages.

"Kutal...you're hurt?" she whispers. The wound in her throat makes it hard for her to talk.

Apparently, the yellow feline can also tell. "Don't speak, Yakumo," he gently admonishes. "I made it out better than you did it." He points to his chest. "Cheetahs are a cocky lot. She thought her speed would outdo me, but a lion has his pride for a reason. Did I ever tell you about how I once lead a group of Water Enterrans across the Sahara, no easy feat, but—" Then a new person enters the room. Kutal looks up and is immediately quiet.

Yakumo doesn't have to even look up to know who it is. She sees a hunchback doctor came to the foot of the bed as Mushrambo approaches. His face is neutral as he looks down at her.

"She is quite lucky, my lord. If it hadn't been for Kutal here, she would be gone for sure."

She doesn't see Mushrambo's expression change into either disgust or relief. She thinks back to her feline attacker's words. Had Mushrambo really wanted another to end her life? Some part of her says no. If anyone was going to end her life, it was going to be him. He wouldn't want anyone else to have the honor of making humans extinct.

"I see," he finally says and gives her a look of recognition. "Well, I can't send you back to the cellars. Now I have to think of what use you could serve around the castle now."

The doctor speaks up, "Well, I hate to say it, Your Majesty, but it is very likely that no matter where the human works there will be tensions between her and the Enterran staff. Likely, it would just be a repeat no matter where she goes. Perhaps…locking her up in the cells during the day would be the best option?" He gives a nonchalant shrug, as though locking up someone is simple. Then again the doctor, like most Enterrans, only sees her as human. What rights does she have?

Before Mushrambo can react, Kutal stands up. "That won't be necessary, Your Majesty."

Attention in the room turns toward the round feline. Yakumo watches Mushrambo's expression very carefully. She knows it isn't wise to ever risk Mushrambo's attention, but Kutal is doing it now. But would it be worth it?

"Let Yakumo be my assistant! The girl would be very safe under my care. I will be able to keep watch over her at all times, and she will be safe under me because I have no problem with humans."

Mushrambo ponders the feline's offer for a few moments until he finally nods. "That will work. She is your worker now." He then looks down at Yakum. "Once you are recovered you will start working with Kutal."

"Yes, Your Majesty," she answers, giving a respectful bow of the head.

The Dark King says no more and leaves. The doctor examines her for a few minutes before leaving himself. All that is left is her and Kutal.

"That was rather cold of him," remarks the yellow feline.

Yakumo blinks in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"His Majesty. He could have asked if you were feeling well."

Yakumo sighs and shakes her head. "His Majesty does not care about me. When we first met he was going to kill me, but things…happened, and I ended up here. He made me work in an environment where I was sure to suffer abuse. He doesn't care."

Kutal shoots her a sympathetic look, but doesn't argue against what she is saying. Because all she is saying is true.

He quickly changes the topic.

"I am so excited that I am going to have you as an apprentice in the kitchen. I can't wait to show you how to cook fabulous food!" He goes on about the more cheerful topic, and Yakumo is glad for it. She is rather excited too. She now has something to look forward too...perhaps for the first time in years.

It takes nearly a week until she is considered well enough to leave the clinic room. Kutal is a constant visito,r coming to see her a few times a day, always cheering her up. Not to her surprise, or disappointment, Mushrambo doesn't come by. However, there is a guard posted to watch her every night. She doesn't have to wonder why.

Finally, her time of healing is over, and now it is back to work. But it is different. She doesn't have to dread not getting food, being bullied or abused. No, she has Kutal as a boss now. The Feline Enterran has her dressed in a much brighter and colorful uniform. When she comes down the first day he gushes over how pretty she is. Yakumo believes Kutal is exaggerating, but it is nice to hear something good about her appearance for once.

An actually rather happy month passes by. She wakes up, like always, dresses, and heads down to the kitchen where delicious smells and Kutal greet her. Breakfast is then cooked as Kutal goes into detail about many of the ingredients, such as origins, histories, and scientific facts. To Yakumo's mild surprise he even knows quite a bit about the human history of these foods. Most of it she didn't even know. Who would have guessed that carrots were originally mostly purple?

Kutal takes great pleasure in cooking and making his meals and it begins to rub off on Yakumo. There is something about creating a meal with your own hands, something smoothing and homely. It was also something wonderful to share. Kutal praises her accomplishments and gently corrects even her worst mistakes that someone with only a true culinary talent and skill could correct.

The days in the kitchen are wonderful, but they are always at a much faster and rushed pace than Yakumo is used too from being a maid. But she isn't complaining. Working a bit harder is nothing in comparison to going constantly hungry and being beaten.

When Yakumo first starts working in the kitchen many of the Enterran maids complain that someone (meaning her, the human) was making the food taste horrible. Kutal would just nod with sympathy and tell them there was no food left and that he would try better tomorrow. Soon the maids came to realize that Yakumo isn't going to just go away, so they reluctantly silence their complaints.

However, she doesn't dare try to show her happiness at nights with Mushrambo. She forces her face into a neutral expression, staving off any good feeling that had come from her working with Kutal. It is not too hard, on the surface, since Mushrambo never asks about her day. She knows he is too good of a warrior to not be able to tell a change in her demeanor, but he says nothing. Yakumo prays he doesn't ever say anything.

One morning, while Kutal is telling her how the potato came to Europe, the door opens to reveal a messenger. He doesn't even look at the human as he addresses Kutal.

"The generals are meeting," he states. "You and other picked staff are going to go get ready to leave for New York within a week's time."

Kutal nods. "Understood, good sir," he says cheerfully as a wave of anxiety hits the human girl.

Going back to New York City...the meeting of the generals. Yakumo now knows she will have to face the city in the light that she avoided for so many years by hiding in the darkness. What she would see, she didn't exactly know. But she knew it wouldn't resemble the one time capital of the human world that she grew up in.

Then there were the generals. Yakumo actually had nightmares about the day in the throne room with Rusephine. She didn't have to wonder if the general was grateful or not to her. It was more than likely the proud Queen of the Birds would have taken death over being spared and humiliated by a human. At least in hindsight. And the other generals. She didn't even want to think about it.

She is already sleeping with her father's murderer. She doesn't even want to look at the rest of them.

As the week passes, her anxiety fills up. But it is later relieved when she finds out that while she will be traveling and spending her nights with the Dark King; she is also going to be spending her days as Kutal's assistant...in other words...having no need to see the generals.

At least she prays.

The days leading up to it keep the human's mind occupied, as she carries out orders and instructions for shipment.

Finally, it is time. After her first shift, she hugs Kutal goodbye, and heads up towards Mushrambo's chamber in daylight for the first time since she got here. It was a bit of a strange feeling, as she remembers that dreadful day of her uncontrollable sobbing, wariness, and how she just wished this was a dream. It wasn't until this month that things had actually gotten better.

Mushrambo isn't in the chamber, but there is something waiting for her. On the bed is a simple blue dress with a ribbon around the waist, and pair of blue slippers. It is far from fancy, or expensive looking. But it is the nicest thing that Yakumo has had to wear in months—even years. Back with her father, she only got clothing when she outgrew it, and when they went out to grab whatever fit it had to be done in secrecy. And here in the castle it was either her work uniform or a nightgown.

She pulls off her chef's assistant uniform and slips into the blue dress, feeling the soft cotton against her skin before she pulls on her slippers. She brushes her hair and sits on a chair by the window as she watches the preparations being made to leave. A large ship is outside. It looks like now the Enterrans are having to play politics like humans. Mushrambo probably would have had the meeting with just him going by himself. But setting up good governments takes more effort than that. She sees the irony in Enterrans adopting human ways, but doesn't enjoy the irony.

She still prays they will find a better way.

Finally, she hears the door open and she turns to see the Dark King himself. She stands up and bows toward him. His gaze lingers on her for a moment, unused to seeing her dressed as such. For a brief moment she wonders if he will make a comment. But he just motions her to come along.

"We are leaving now." He turns with the expectation she will follow, which she quietly does.

Yakumo keeps her silence, with her head bowed forward, as she follows Mushrambo out onto the ship. She hears the words of Enterrans greeting their King, and obeying orders. She doesn't want to look up and see the disgusted looks they have toward her.

She remains still silent as Mushrambo issues a command that a bovine Enterran look after her. The Enterran gives a grunt and tells her to follow, which she does. For the remainder of the trip she sits near the bovine with Mushrambo nowhere in sight.

After the ship takes off and Yakumo has been sitting a while, she now realizes that this is the first time in months that she has had nothing to do. It is a strange feeling; back with her father she spent many hours bored out of her mind in the dark because she had nothing to do. Then coming to the castle she was overwhelmed with the work she was now expected to do.

One extreme to the other.

It fit the Enterrans well, she darkly muses for a moment.

She doesn't say a word to her bodyguard, or anyone else for that matter. She has no doubts that the Enterrans are pleased the human is keeping her mouth shut. It must drive them mad for the remaining human to be among them and not being able to do a thing about it.

The hours pass, and Yakumo's borderline sleepy eyes open as she feels their decline. Finally, they do land, but like human airplanes it takes time for the passengers to be ready to depart. Anticipation builds in Yakumo as she tries to steel herself to the sight of a changed New York.

What had the Enterrans done to her home?

She hears the doors open with a hydraulic hiss.

The Bovine Enterran tells her it is time to get up.

She pauses for strength before getting up.

The last human looks out to take in the Earth—no, Enterra now, for the first time in the new world order.

It takes Yakumo a few moments to take in the new world. She doesn't know what she was expecting, but it wasn't this. She was expecting a complete change in the world, but this is a mix. There is construction everywhere she looks.

The human world is changing into the Enterran world. Many clearly human made buildings still remained, but most are partly destroyed...or at least being reconstructed. They look as though instead of completely tearing down the human world that they are remolding it to fit Enterran needs. She sees larger door openings, and even a few rooftop entries. Likely to accommodate Enterrans of larger sizes and those who could fly. She had assumed that the Enterrans, in their hatred towards humanity, would have just had all human things torn down and start from scratch. But she supposes in the end they had opted instead for a more practical route.

But that isn't the biggest surprise of them all.

Robots, countless numbers of them, all working beside Enterrans as they build their new world. Robots…they had sided with her people, the humans. They had created them, like Enterrans, but unlike their biological counterparts, the robots had remained on the human's side till the end.

What had made them change?

Then her memory flashes back toward that day in the throne room with Rusephine. She had conquered their city...their holdout, and now the Enterrans had made them slaves.

Don't the Enterrans realize that what they are doing to robots is the exact same thing humans had done to them?! They are making the same mistakes that humans made. Yakumo takes a moment to observe the drills and powerful tools the robots are using to build.

She wonders if robots will one day return the favor, like Enterrans had done to humans.

Yakumo is suddenly led forward before she can finish her thoughts. She is brought into a vehicle, seated between two large Enterran body guards that block any further viewing of the rebuilding of New York City.

If it is even called that now. She doesn't know how long she is in that car; it seems like hours with the silent tension of the Enterrans protecting a human. The car comes to a stop, she is led out, and her mouth drops as she realizes where she is.

The United Nations...or what was the United Nations. The flags of the human nations are still up...but lowered to half mast. Her vision stops at the front of the building where seven new flag poles had been erected, towering over those of the former human nations. The human squints her eyes to get a better look at the flags. One is a blue flag with waves, the next is a light yellow with an angelic-looking figure in the center, and last on the left is a dark purple with no markings. The one on the far right is green with a rose in the center, the one next to it is gray with a horned helmet on it, and the last on the right is red with what looks like a claw mark through it.

And right dead in the center is a black one with a katana across it. She doesn't have to even guess whose flag that is.

"Hey, human, are you going to stare all day, or get going?" she hears the Bovine bark at her, snapping Yakumo out of her day dream.

"Sorry," she meekly apologizes.

The bull-like creature just gives a snort, and signals her to move. She keeps her head bowed and her hands clasped in front of her in a nervous prayer like gesture.

She has vague memories of being here once on a field trip, but not enough to note many changes, except obvious ones like bigger doors and such. Hall after hall she passes until she finally meets up with Mushrambo, who she immediately bows to. He says nothing, but goes in. The Bovine signals her to follow him, which she does, making sure to stay to his side but slightly behind.

When she enters the room, she freezes. Loses the ability to speak, rationalize, or even think.

Six of them are at the table.

All Seven Enterran Generals are in this room. The people who led the genocide of the human race.

And she is the last human. She catches a glimpse of the Bird Queen, now without wings, glaring at her. Looks like she isn't thankful for her getting Mushrambo to spare her life. She puts her head down as her heart pounds. The closest she has come to feeling a similar fear is when Mushrambo had invaded the lab that night and raped her—even though she was too scared to put up any resistance, it had still been rape.

She feels every eye on the room on her as Mushrambo takes his seat at the head of the table.

"I see that you have brought your pet along," remarks one.

She looks up to see a humanoid Enterran who almost looks like a child, except his eyes are in the disturbing shape of a snake's, and he has too wide of a mouth. Ryuma, King of Reptiles, and General over South America. He meets her eyes for a moment, and smirks at her. It chills her to the bone. The look in his snake-like eyes clearly shows he is taking pleasure in the human girl's discomfort. She quickly looks down, avoiding eye contact with any of them.

"Yes, this is the one who saved Rusephine's life. I brought her here in case Rusephine wanted to personally thank her."

Masculine laughter broke over the table. They are no better than human politicians, taking pleasure at the humiliation of a rival. She isn't sure if their open mockery makes them worse, or better than human politicians.

Wasn't it a human who said, "A true friend stabs you in the front"?

"Oh, don't look at her with such hate, Rusephine," came the voice of the centaur-like Enterran, who Yakumo recognized as the Phantom King, Kimylas, General of Europe. "You know very well you brought the loss of your wings, and almost life on yourself by trying to steal power."

Rusephine says nothing to this. But Yakumo can still feel her glare on her.

"We need to get to the point of how the robots and their technology are going to start the new Enterra. Something that we would have started months ago if not for the, now grounded, Bird Queen," remarks another in a deep voice, wearing a suit of armor. Daku, King of Insects, and General over North America.

Mushrambo clears his throat. "As much as I am enjoying this we must get down to business. Has King Nipper arrived?"

Yakumo's eyes perk at that. King Nipper? She has never heard of him. All the kings are here.

"Oh, probably just late, being a lazy idiot as usual," remarks Diehanger, King of the Beasts, and General over Africa.

"Actually, I am right on time!" came a cheerful voice from behind her.

Yakumo looks back and to her shock sees a robot instead of an Enterran. He is dressed like a king from the Tudor era. He smiles brightly, and looks around. His eyes land on Yakumo. She begs God for him not to say anything.

"Aw, you must be the human who saved Queen Rusephine." Without warning, he takes her hand and shakes it. The human is stunned at such forwardness.

"Your name?" he asks, which causes her to pause, before whispering.

"Yakumo."

King Nipper's eyes widen, as a look of shock—well, as much as his robotic face will allow—crosses over his features. He then gathers himself in an instant before returning to his cheerful self.

"Well, that's a nice name." He leaves her without another word and makes his way to the table, leaving the human confused.

The meeting continues with no further acknowledgment of her. She just stands there for about an hour until a servant silently leads her out of the room. She is brought to a bedchamber, and lays back on the bed as she thinks about the day.

Suddenly, the door opens, pulling Yakumo out of her thoughts. She immediately rises, thinking it is Mushrambo, but instead she sees a female robot with a tray of tea in her hands.

"Yakumo Tatsuro?"

"Yes, that is me."

"I brought you tea." The robot begins to lay the tea on a table when a thought occurs to Yakumo.

"Wait! How did you know my last name?"

The robot looks over and says, "That is what was written on the list."

Yakumo doesn't understand. She can't remember ever giving her last name to anyone. No one had ever asked. Perhaps Mushrambo had gotten it from the lab? But it didn't seem like the Dark King would go through that trouble just to learn a mere human's last name.

She lets it wonder on her mind as the robot leaves.

"King Nipper?" comes a voice from the doorway. He looks over to see the maid.

"Yes, what did you find?" he asks with eagerness.

"Tatsuro is her last name, Your Majesty."

Nipper feels both relief and dread at what he now knows he has to do. He nods to the maid. "Thank you, you are dismissed."

She leaves the king alone, and Nipper opens up a hologram over his arm revealing the face of his creator.

"I swear, I will rescue Yakumo, Dr. Tatsuro."


End file.
